Caro ran a finger over the sweet softness of the baby’s cheek. “When can he come home?”

“They’re going to release him in the next couple of days,” Joe said, “but they want us close by for a week or two after that, so we’re going to stay at Janey’s Uncle Frank’s house until they release us to take him to the island.”

“We don’t want to be too far from here if he needs something,” Janey said.

“He graduated from the NICU this morning,” Joe said proudly as he sat next to his wife on a small sofa next to a window that overlooked downtown Providence. “It all happened so fast, I didn’t have time to text you.”

“That’s all right.” Caro had yet to take her eyes off the baby. “We found you.” Holding Peter Joseph Cantrell, who’d been named in honor of her late husband and Joe’s father, Carolina took the first deep breath she’d taken in two weeks. They were fine. They were all fine, and her baby grandson was absolutely perfect despite his chaotic birth. “P.J., I have someone I want you to meet. Now, I don’t want you to listen to too much of his baloney, but he’s vowed to be a very good grandpa to you.”

Seamus squatted in front of her and leaned in to kiss the baby’s cheek. “Hi there, P.J. I’m your handsome and charming Grandpa Seamus, but you can call me Da, because that’s what my nieces and nephews call my dad. I promise to spoil you rotten.”

“If you want to stay out of trouble, don’t listen to a word that Irish charmer says.” Carolina finally peeled her eyes off the baby to give her fiancé a warm smile. “He’ll lead you astray every time.”

“Look, love,” Seamus said, grinning as he nodded toward the baby’s parents.

Janey had her head on Joe’s chest, and his arm was tight around her. The two of them were fast asleep.

Carolina smiled down at her grandson. “Looks like Grammy and Da are in charge for a little while.” She wouldn’t have it any other way.

***

On the drive to the Chesterfield estate, Jenny thought about what she needed to tell Alex and hoped she could make it through the conversation without getting emotional. She didn’t want to scare him off like the first guy she’d slept with after Toby. He’d run for his life from her emotional firestorm, not that she blamed him. It was a lot to take in. She couldn’t deny that, and she couldn’t deny that by the time she pulled into the long driveway that led to the late Mrs. Chesterfield’s estate, she felt sick again.